Puckleberry Music Shuffle
by noteinabottle
Summary: Puckleberry songfic goodness. Please read and review!


**Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the plot. Song and characters belong to the respective owners.**

**Author's note: My first song-fic thing. Hope you can leave comments so I know what I'm doing wrong. Any specific song requests are also welcomed!**

The door to their household slams shut at 4 a.m. that morning. Sarah Puckerman hugs herself tighter at the sound of her brother's stumbling foot steps. A gentle strumming reverberates throughout the quiet house as he bass deep voice starts.

_Am I better off dead? Am I better off a quitter?_

_They say I'm better off now, then I ever was with her._

_As they take me to my local down the street,_

_I'm smiling but I'm dying trying not to drag my feet._

"Come on man, hurry up!" Finn yelled to the uncharacteristically quiet Puck. There was a weak smile on his face, one that was filled with uncertainty and traces of pain, but a smile all the same. Mike Chang and Matt who were talking animatedly in front of him quieted and looked silently at him, while Sam walked up from behind and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. "I'm fine, let's just go." He surged ahead, leaving all his friends watching him from behind.

_They say a few drinks, will help me to forget her._

_But after one too many, I know that I'll never._

_If only they can see how this is gonna end._

_They all think I'm crazy but to me it's perfect sense._

It was 2 a.m. in the morning and he was totally wasted and slumped over the bar table. The other guys were watching him, pity written all over their faces. Tears came to his eyes again, and he swiped them away angrily. He hated it when he felt weak, but without her he was...nothing. At all. Getting up angrily, he yelled accusing words at his friends and stumbled out of the bar.

That night, Mrs. Puckerman receives a call from the police station.

_And my mates are all there trying to calm me down,_

_Cause I'm shouting your name all over the town._

_I'm swearing if I go there now,_

_I can change your mind, turn it all around._

At the Berry household, a phone rings. Hiram Berry stirs slightly, and cracks open an eye. His partner, Leroy, wraps an arm around him and buries his head in the crook of his shoulder. "I hope she forgives him soon."

The brunette hugs her tear-stained pillow tightly to her chest, tears falling freely down her face as she stares at her phone blasting a song. Their song. She doesn't bother to turn it off, but just stares at it, not caring even if it wakes the whole house.

_And I know that I'm drunk but I say the words,_

_And she'll listen this time even though they're slurred._

_Dialed her number and confessed to her,_

_Still in love, but all I heard, was nothing._

There is a quick successive rapping on their wooden door, and Rachel stares at the doorknob, as if it is the most fascinating thing in the world. She sees his silhouette from behind the curtains and just remains perfectly still. Her heart is telling her to reach out and open the door, let him in and just forgive and forget, but her head was telling her not to get hurt again. It was too much for her to bear, so she slides to the floor and rests her head against the door, listening to the rasping of his breath on the other side.

_So I stumble there, along the railings and the fences._

_I know with her face to face, that she'll come to her senses._

_Every drunk step I takes leads me to her door,_

_If she sees how much I'm hurting, she'll take me back for sure._

_And my mates are all there trying to calm me down,_

_Cause I'm shouting your name all over the town._

_I'm swearing if I go there now,_

_I can change your mind, turn it all around._

There are tears pouring down both their faces as they sit listening to each other through the door. Their breaths are labored, and each one seems like a painful stab to his chest. He misses her, so fucking much, and it hurt to know that she had been his, but he let her go.

_And I know that I'm drunk but I say the words._

_And she'll listen this time even though they're slurred._

_Dialed her number and confessed to her,_

_Still in love, but all I heard, was nothing._

She hates it, how cold and weak and alone she feels without him. And it hurts even more to think that all that's standing between him and her is a wooden door. But she wasn't giving in. He hurt her, and as much as she loved him, her heart mattered more right now. Tears streamed down her face, falling softly onto her floor, creating a wet patch on her maroon-colored carpet.

_She said nothing._

_I wanted words but all I heard was nothing._

_Sometimes love's intoxicating._

_You're coming down,_

_Your hands are shaking._

_When you realise there's no one waiting._

Mrs. Puckermman hears her door slam shut at 4 a.m. that morning and turns once in her bed. It creaks slightly, but not loud enough for him to hear. She sighs, barely audible, as she pulls the blanket up to her chin. He is strumming on his guitar again. She never knew where he got that gift of music from, maybe his dad, who used to serenade her at any chance he got. A tear falls from her left eye and she blinks back the many unfallen ones, turning once in her bed again.

_Am I better off dead? Am I better off a quitter?_

_They say I'm better off now, than I ever was with her..._

His phone vibrates on the coffee table, but he doesn't hear it; his back is turned and he is too absorbed in his music to notice.

_And my mates are all there trying to calm me down,_

_Cause I'm shouting your name all over the town._

_I'm swearing if I go there now,_

_I can change your mind, turn it all around._

_And I know that I'm drunk but I say the words._

_And she'll listen this time even though they're slurred._

_Dialed her number and confessed to her,_

_Still in love, but all I heard, was nothing._

_She said nothing._

_I wanted words but all I heard was nothing._

_I got nothing._

He lies, slumped over the couch, and notices the flashing light on his phone. Picking it up, he sees the missed call from... Rachel Berry. His breath quickens as his shaking fingers fly across the key pad, dialing the number he had memorized by heart, and hears it ring once, twice, and then its owner picks up.

"Hello?"


End file.
